Hazelwood Power Tour – June 2000 – 1^st

Stage 1 Saturday 17^th –13km I/T/T – 1^st

One anti-clockwise loop.  Amazingly, about 5 girls missed the turnoff and ended up miles away!  There was one really steep hill which required the S/C/R.  There was also a strong headwind towards the end.  I won in 19min40sec, 7 sec ahead of Jessica Amy.

Stage 2 Saturday 17^th – 50km road stage – 1^st

This stage had sprints and KOM’s in it.  I won both KOM’s and all the sprints except one.  A broke away after the first KOM, with Rachel.  We worked well to keep the bunch away.  I beat her in a sprint finish.

Stage 3 Saturday 17^th – 39km road stage – 1^st

This stage consisted of 3 laps of the small time trial circuit we’d done this morning.  I broke away with Jessica and Rachel.  I won all 3 sprints and both KOM’s again.  The two of them tried to work me over but it didn’t work.  I won the sprint finish again.  I was very pleased with the days racing.

Stage 4 Sunday 18^th – 45km road stage – 2^nd

Todays stage consisted of 2 laps of a circuit followed by a 7km climb to the finish.  There were 3 or 4 attacks during the 2 laps however nothing developed out of them.  I climbed steadily and then with 4km to go I attacked in the B/C/R.  Jessica Amy followed me and caught me.  We stayed together until the finish.  As we approached the finish I saw one car about 60m in front of us, followed by 4 or 5 cars on another 30m beyond the first car.  I couldn’t see a flag and thought the group of cars was the finish line.  Unfortunately, the finish line was the first car.  I was still winding it up when Jessica took the win.

Stage 5 Sunday 18^th – 25min criterium – 1^st

I felt so tired.  I had a lead of 5min so I knew I had the tour won.  However, I warmed up well and decided to attack from the line.  I developed a 10 sec lead which gradually stretched out to 52sec.  I won all 4 sprints and won the overall tour.  This was my first tour win!